Jack Suwinski hit a two-run homer and later scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth as the host Pittsburgh Pirates rallied for a 5-4 walk-off victory over the San Francisco Giants on Monday.
Suwinski raced home on a grounder up the first base line by Isiah Kiner-Falefa and slid under the tag of Giants catcher Patrick Bailey to help the Pirates complete a ninth-inning comeback and register their seventh win in nine games.
Pittsburgh trailed 4-1 in the seventh before Suwinski belted a two-run home run to right field off reliever Carson Seymour.
Andrew McCutchen opened the ninth by drawing a walk from Randy Rodriguez (3-3), who then hit Suwinski with a pitch after he struck out Bryan Reynolds.
Joey Bart tied the game with a single to left that scored pinch runner Alexander Canario, setting up the game-winning play moments later.
The Pirates beat the Giants for the fourth time in four games over the span of a week.
Jung Hoo Lee’s two-run triple in the fifth and Heliot Ramos’ three hits appeared to be enough for the Giants to get a victory from Justin Verlander. The veteran right-hander gave up one run, which was unearned, on three hits and one walk while striking out four over five innings. Verlander exited after throwing 100 pitches.
Pirates right-hander Johan Oviedo started in the majors for the first time since Sept. 27, 2023, having completed an extensive rehab from Tommy John surgery. However, his return didn’t last long. He pitched only one inning, throwing 43 pitches and giving up two runs on two hits and three walks while striking out three.
Pittsburgh relievers Yohan Ramirez, Kyle Nicolas, Ryan Borucki and Dauri Moreta (1-0) combined to allow only two runs on five hits over the next eight innings, striking out a combined eight while keeping the Pirates in contention.
Spencer Horwitz led Pittsburgh at the plate with two hits.
To make room on the roster for Oviedo, who was activated from the 60-day injured list, the Pirates designated left-hander Genesis Cabrera for assignment.
The Giants activated outfielder Jerar Encarnacion (oblique) from the 10-day injured list and optioned outfielder Luis Matos to Triple-A Sacramento.
–Field Level Media
